Vicki Gunvalson is coming back to RHOC (Image: Getty)

After several years in a demoted role and only making guest appearances, Vicki Gunvalson is making a big return as a full-time housewife again for Season 20 of the Real Housewives of Orange County.

The show, which started off the entire franchise, revealed plans to include Gunvalson, 63, after she was surprised by Andy Cohen with an orange at Bravocon 2025.

And while her friend-turned-foe-turned-friend again, Tamra Judge had previously sparked rumors that she too had left the show. Gunvalson’s return appears to be officially in the works following the moment at the convention, where she got visibly emotional.

“Vicki, would you join us as a housewife for Season 20?” Cohen asked her.

It marks a major return for Gunvalson, who starred a full-time housewife for 13 seasons before being downgraded to a “friend of” role in Season 14 and making some guest appearances since.

Gunvalson was officially asked to return to the show during Bravocon 2025 (Image: Getty)

Gunvalson initially departed the show in 2020, taking to social media at the time to announce her official departure.

“I will always be the OG of the OC, but it’s time to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Orange County,” she wrote at the time. “It’s been an incredible ride for 14 years and I want to thank all of you for your support, for your love and for ‘whooping it up’ with me along the way.”

The news of her return comes after she confirmed she and Judge, 58, had out the feud that fizzled their friendship behind them, which saw Judge become estranged from both her and Shannon Beador, 61.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs in our 20 years,” Judge told Us Weekly earlier this month. “It’s that love-hate relationship all the time. I’m talking sisterly love, like, you have little arguments. And then, of course, being on a show together, there’s always ups and downs–especially the type of show that we were on together.”

The return also comes after she patched things up with Tamra Judge (Image: Getty)

“I don’t think either one of us apologized,” Gunvalson added. “We are who we are. I just have a different viewpoint on the show, and it’s a strong viewpoint. I can’t do toxic. I told Tamra yesterday, ‘You guys are going into a deep, dark hole, I hate it.”

New episodes of RHOC should air in 2026, following Season 19, which recently came to an end.

That season saw Judge, Beador, Heather Deubrwo, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti, and Katie Ginella star as housewives, with Gretchen Rossi appearing as a friend.

Gunvalson was married to Donn Gunvalson when the show premiered, though the two split in 2014.